There are many myths out there about the GMAT, and the myth that the first 7 questions in a section are the most important is one of the most prevalent. Despite what you may have heard or read, you should not spend extra time on the first 7 questions of the Verbal section.

There are many reasons why overinvesting time in the first 7 questions of a section is a poor strategy. For one, you most likely will not have enough time to answer all of the questions at the end of the section. Thus, your initial gains will be lost. This mistake can have even worse repercussions in the Verbal section than in the Quant section. Since the time per question is more variable in Verbal, it can be easier to fall massively behind the clock. So, you could end up eating up a HUGE chunk of your time if you move at an unnaturally slow pace on the first 7 Verbal questions.

Moreover, if you answer the first 7 questions correctly, you should start seeing some pretty difficult questions. However, how much time can you spend answering those tough, high-value questions? Using an inordinate amount of time on the first 7 Verbal questions could deprive you of the opportunity to send your Verbal score skyrocketing later in the section. Don’t make this mistake. Instead, maintain an efficient, methodical pace throughout the Verbal section.

Reach out to me with any questions about your GMAT prep!

Warmest regards,

Scott Woodbury-Stewart
Founder & CEO, Target Test Prep